Roquan Smith doesn't regret his contract holdout: 'That's just the business side of things'

Twenty-six days before the Bears take on the Packers in the season opener, Roquan Smith signed his rookie contract and attended his first practice Tuesday at Halas Hall, officially putting an end to a 29-day contract holdout.

Many of his teammates reported to training camp more than four weeks earlier. But if the Bears’ first-round pick was worried about how his absence would affect his ability to be ready for the season, the inside linebacker didn’t let on.

“I just kept my faith in my agent and Mr. Pace that they would get everything situated,” Smith said, referring to his representatives from CAA Football and Bears general manager Ryan Pace.

In a five-minute session with the media, Smith shed little light on his reasoning for the contract impasse, at one point answering five straight questions by saying he left the issue to his agent and Pace. Smith said he didn’t regret the holdout that wiped out his rookie-year training camp.

“No, that’s just the business side of things,” Smith said. “It is what it is. And I’m just happy to be here now.”

Smith signed a four-year contract worth about $18 million with a fifth-year team option. The Bears and Smith’s agents reached a compromise regarding contract language that would allow the Bears to void guarantees should Smith be suspended by the NFL, a source said.

Smith’s guarantees can be voided if he is suspended three or more games for a football play. For punishment for on-field actions before or after a play, his guarantees can be voided if he is suspended two or more games for defending himself or a teammate, or if he is suspended at least one game for being the aggressor. Pro Football Talk first reported the parameters of the compromise.

The Bears declined a request to make Pace available for comment Tuesday, and Bears coach Matt Nagy said he didn’t get into the holdout with Smith when he arrived.

Nagy said he welcomed Smith and asked, “Are you ready to play some ball?” And Smith said, “Yeah.”

“It was really simple,” Nagy said. “Why harp on what just happened? Let’s go. You’re here, our team’s here, that’s all that matters. Put it to the side and let’s go play football.”

Smith ran through inside linebackers group work, did team drills mostly with the second-string defense and chatted with teammates such as Danny Trevathan and John Timu on the sideline during a light, non-padded workout that lasted about an hour and a half. Then he boarded a plane headed to Denver with his team for joint practices with the Broncos on Wednesday and Thursday.

Nagy said after the short practice it was too soon to tell the type of shape Smith is in and he isn’t sure whether Smith will play in Saturday’s exhibition game against the Broncos.

Smith, the 2017 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker at Georgia, trained in Athens, Ga., during his time away from the Bears. He said he “would like to think” he’s in good football shape.

“I have confidence in the coaches and the athletic training staff and myself,” Smith said. “We’ll take the proper steps for me to come back.”

A major concern for the Bears is helping Smith avoid injury as he ramps up his activity. Nagy said the Bears will be mindful of making sure Smith doesn’t overdo it physically in an effort to catch up.

“From the time we got to know Roquan in OTAs, we understand he’s a very driven individual, both on and off the field, and I know he’s going to do everything he possibly can to catch up,” Nagy said. “Now he’s got to do it, so to be able to get out here in Denver and have some good practices, it’s a great time for him. It’s good for him to get back in shape and take some hits.”

Smith said he texted teammates, studied his playbook and watched film in an effort to stay up to speed mentally. Nagy said the Bears will not hold back on the information they give Smith as he catches up because they want to “test the waters a little bit and see what he can and can’t do.”

“That middle linebacker spot has a lot of calls,” Nagy said. “So it’s one thing to be in your books and see it, and see it on video. It’s another thing to be out there on the field and doing it. Because he plays that position, there might be a little more catching up to do than (at) a corner or somewhere else.”

If Smith isn’t ready to go Saturday, Bears fans’ first glimpse of him might be the Aug. 25 exhibition game against the Chiefs at Soldier Field. Smith said he didn’t pay attention to outside reaction to his absence, but he could calm some of the fan unrest about the holdout with his play in that game.